Governor of Oyo State, Oluseyi Makinde has said the South-West geopolitical zone will vote as a bloc during this month’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP national convention to choose the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 election.
Makinde spoke when alongside Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, he met with delegates of the PDP in Ekiti State on Monday.
Wike was in Ekiti to solicit votes as he seeks to become the 2023 presidential flag bearer of the party.
Governor Makinde said the era when the South-West was regarded as untrustworthy is over.
He stressed that the region will play a central role during the presidential primary and will also get a central benefit when Governor Wike wins the 2023 presidential election.
“The South-West zone, we will go in one direction. South-West zone will determine who is going to get the ticket of PDP. So, the delegates will have the heavy load of Abuja and by the grace of God we will deliver.”
“The South-West zone, we will go in one direction. South-West zone will determine who is going to get the ticket of PDP. So, the delegates will have the heavy load of Abuja and by the grace of God we will deliver.”
Similarly, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose , noted that the south-west has suffered gross negligence under the APC administration.
“We are going to go to this convention united. Nobody in the south-west particularly in Ekiti will start going to one aspirant in the night.”
Speaking at the event, Wike noted that if there is a proper Commander-in-Chief in the country, bandits and insurgent groups will not be allowed to get to the level unrestrained killings of innocent Nigerians.
Wike said the symptoms of a country going down is where hunger is not addressed, insecurity is allowed to fester, and marauding bandits are killing Nigerians without restriction.
“A proper Commander-in-Chief will never allow this country to go down like this. What am I doing with the service chiefs. Their business is to protect Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Look at our country, everyday, the only project we get is people have died. The only project Nigeria continues to get is that 55 people have been killed in Zamfara yesterday.
The presidential aspirant maintained that the All Progressives Congress led federal government has failed in its primary responsibility to protect life and property, hence, has no business being in governance.
“First in the oath of office is the protection of life and property. Any government that cannot protect life and property then that you have no business to being governance and APC has no business to being governance.”
Wike emphasised that what is happening in Nigeria is affecting everybody including Moslems, Christians, Northerners and Southerners alike.
The Rivers State governor said never had Nigerians been so divided as seen under President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
He said his quest to rescue Nigeria and ensure safety of life and property under a proper Commander-in Chief, as a mission to write the wrongs and give Nigerians back their country.
“Nobody can say what will happens in the next two minutes. As you’re going home now, you don’t know what will happen. Nigeria has come to that stage.
“Look at the hunger. Look at the poverty. This country requires a leader now that can confront the issues of insecurity.
“This country requires a leader that is very courageous. This country requires a leader that is fearless and I am that leader.
Wike reiterated his resolve to form a government of national unity if he secures the presidential ticket of the PDP, contests the 2023 presidential election and wins resoundingly.
He therefore urged the delegates to consider him as the most competent, courageous and fearless leader to vote for during the party’s primary on the 28th and 29th May 2022.
Wike enjoined the PDP family in Ekiti State to continue to work in unity and assured them of his and Oyo State governor’s support at the next gubernatorial election in that State.
